— Motocross development given stop-work order —
(OSOYOOS TIMES — June 27, 2007) —
By Julie TurnerrnOsoyoos Times
Residents of the Bridesville area just over Anarchist Mountain are fuming over what they call the illegal development of a motocross racetrack and campground on agricultural land.
They have complained that the development by property owner Al Clarke is contravening the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) Act and are concerned about noise from the racetrack operation once it is completed. They have sought a legal opinion on the issue and submitted a 55-name petition to the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) asking it to deal with the development.
At its May 30 meeting the RDKB Board voted to send a letter to the ALC asking it to enforce its land-use regulations and apply for an injunction to stop further expansion of the motocross facility after residents appealed to the Board.
In a letter to the ALC and copied to RDKB, MLA Katrine Conroy and Minister of Agriculture and Lands Pat Bell, Bridesville resident Bruce Baker writes, This destructive and noisy development is inappropriate for the agricultural community of Bridesville¦. We want this development to be stopped before it irrevocably changes the agricultural potential of the land.rnBut Clarke, a motocross enthusiast who purchased the land a year ago, contends that he is in his rights to develop the 128-acre property “ which he states is not valuable farmland “ and feels his $1.5-million development will be a significant boost to the community. He also says that, contrary to public opinion, the ALC Act lists a range of allowable non-farm uses.
Along with his motocross track, Clarke is developing a dude ranch, heritage park and 10-site agri-tourism campground. He says his development also supplies a need for motocross enthusiasts.
There are 5,000 dirt bike riders from Salmon Arm to Osoyoos, and no track in the southern interior of B.C. There are lots of problems because they're riding now on Crown land, on active rangeland, Clarke explains.
Of his neighbours' objection to the development, Clarke says, It's unfortunate what's happened. It's too bad the people concerned didn't visit the property and give me the courtesy of welcoming me to the community and explaining the project. It's ironic that on May 30 they had a meeting with 50 residents, yet I was not included.rnClarke says he met with the ALC Research Officer Gordon Bednard, and RDKB Director of Planning Mark Andison and Assistant Planner Tracy Napier June 13 and all went well. Bednard confirms the group toured the property as Clarke described the development, but adds that a stop-work order was then and is still in place.
Bednard told the Osoyoos Times last Wednesday that the motocross development is non-conforming with the ALC Act's regulations on ALR permitted uses and that on June 7 the ALC has issued a stop-work order for any and all uses not permitted in the Agricultural Land Reserve. The development has been given no approval from the ALC by way of an application.
He adds, It's an ongoing situation, and says he has had a number of people call and send letters of concern about the development.
Andison told the Times, Because the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary does not have any zoning or other land use regulations affecting that area of the Regional District, we have informed residents of the area that [we] do not have any bylaws that may be enforced relating to the development of the motocross facility.
There are no Regional District land controls in place to protect property owners from uses of adjacent lands that may affect their lifestyles and property values, he says.
